Regulation of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a type of computer technology that can learn and make decisions like a human. Because AI is becoming more common in our lives, many governments and groups are working on rules to make sure it is used safely and fairly. These rules are called regulations, and they help protect people and keep technology from causing problems.

Since 2016, many groups have created guidelines to help guide how AI should be used. These guidelines talk about what is right and wrong when using AI and how to build trust in the technology. Big organizations that use AI also have an important job in following these rules and making sure they are responsible.

In 2024, the European Union made a special set of laws called the AI Act. This is a common legal framework for AI that helps all countries in the European Union follow the same rules. Groups like the IEEE and the OECD also help create policies for AI, even though they cannot make laws. Everyone involved wants to make sure AI is used in a way that is good for society and helps everyone. Policies and laws for AI are still being developed all around the world, and this area is changing quickly as AI becomes more advanced and widely used. Artificial intelligence has the power to change many parts of our lives, and having good rules is important to make sure it helps us all. AI ethics and creating trustworthy AI are key parts of this effort. The AI Act is one example of how countries are working together to create these important guidelines.

Background

According to Stanford University, the number of laws and rules about artificial intelligence (AI) has grown quickly. Since 2023, mentions of AI in laws went up by 21.3% in 75 countries, which is almost ten times more than in 2016. In 2024, U.S. government agencies made 59 new rules about AI—more than double the year before. Many states in the U.S. also introduced hundreds of new bills about AI in 2024.

Some important leaders in AI technology have asked for rules to be made soon. After a very powerful AI system was created in 2023, some leaders signed a letter asking to pause making even stronger AI for a while. Others worry that making rules too early might stop new ideas from happening.

People in different countries think differently about AI. In a survey, many people in China felt AI was helpful, while many in America thought it could be risky. Some Americans think it’s important for the government to make rules about AI, while others do not.

In 2023, the United Kingdom began holding meetings about AI safety. More meetings happened in other countries in the years after.

Perspectives

The regulation of artificial intelligence means creating rules and laws to guide how AI is used. Governments and experts focus on making sure AI is safe, fair, and helpful to people. They worry about how fast AI changes, how different AI applications affect existing laws, and how to balance open sharing of AI with keeping it safe.

Some experts believe strict laws are hard to make because AI changes quickly. Others think more flexible guidelines might work better, even though they are not as strong. Some ideas suggest using special rules for certain AI systems to make sure they follow ethical practices. Young groups interested in AI have also asked for stronger rules and teamwork between governments and companies.

There are basic ideas that many agree on, like keeping personal information private, making sure AI is safe and clear, and keeping human control over technology. In 2021, important leaders called for a special group to help guide AI rules. In 2025, the UK and US chose not to sign an international agreement on AI, saying it wasn’t clear enough or didn’t handle security concerns well enough.

Regulation can help manage the challenge of making sure AI stays helpful in the long run. Some ideas include watching over AI research, focusing on safety, and even creating smarter-but-not-super-smart AI systems to keep an eye on things until we’re ready for more advanced AI.

Global guidance

In 2018, Canada and France suggested creating a global group to help guide how we use artificial intelligence (AI). This group, called the Global Partnership on AI, started in 2020 with 15 countries. It aims to make sure AI is developed safely and fairly, following important values like human rights. By 2023, the group had grown to include 29 members.

Many groups and countries have created guidelines to help manage AI. For example, the OECD and the G20 created their own AI principles in 2019. The United Nations has also started working on global standards for AI ethics. In 2023, the Group of Seven nations (G7) agreed on guiding principles for responsibly developing and using advanced AI systems. These guidelines encourage transparency, safety measures, and international cooperation to handle risks related to AI.

In recent years, there has been a push for global agreements to prevent harmful uses of AI, especially in areas like national defense. Researchers and leaders are working together to create rules that protect human rights while allowing AI to advance for good. In September 2025, a global call for "AI red lines" was presented at the United Nations, urging governments to agree on rules by the end of 2026 to stop unacceptable uses of AI.

Regional and national regulation

The rules and plans for managing artificial intelligence (AI) are changing around the world, in places like the European Union and Russia. Since early 2016, many countries and groups have started making plans and rules about AI. These cover many topics, like how to manage AI and how to use it in jobs, research, and building things.

Different countries handle AI in their own ways. For example, the United States focuses on letting businesses lead, China uses government control, and the European Union emphasizes protecting people’s rights.

The African Union is working on rules to protect people’s rights with AI, based on ideas like Ubuntu, which means caring for others.

In Australia, groups like the Australian Computer Society and others have asked the government to make a national plan for AI. In August 2024, Australia introduced a set of safety rules for AI, though specific laws are still pending. Existing laws, like the Privacy Act, also apply to AI.

Brazil passed a law in 2021 to guide AI use, focusing on ethics and human rights, but it faced criticism for being too vague. A new law in May 2023 calls for testing AI systems before they are used.

Canada has a national AI strategy with funding to support research and training. In November 2022, Canada introduced a law package to protect privacy and data, including the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act. In November 2024, Canada also announced a new institute to study AI safety.

China has been active in AI rules, with plans from 2017 and new rules in 2023 for AI services. In April 2026, China blocked a major foreign company from buying a Chinese AI startup to protect its technology.

Colombia has several plans and guidelines to manage AI, though no specific laws yet.

The Council of Europe, which includes many European countries, began working on a treaty for AI in 2022. The treaty, adopted in May 2024, aims to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in AI use.

The Czech Republic updated its national AI strategy in 2024 to include better laws and ethical rules.

The European Union has been a leader in AI rules, with the AI Act passed in May 2024. This law focuses on high-risk AI uses, like healthcare, and requires rules for transparency and human oversight.

Finland is preparing to follow the EU’s AI Act with its own national rules.

Germany released a detailed plan for AI standards in 2020 and updated it in 2022, covering many areas like safety and ethics.

Israel released its first national AI policy in December 2023, focusing on ethics and risk-based rules. Israel also signed an international treaty on AI in March 2024.

Italy approved rules in October 2023 for AI in healthcare, requiring transparency and human oversight.

Morocco is working on creating a national AI agency to manage AI use and increase awareness.

New Zealand currently uses existing laws to manage AI, with updates to the Privacy Act in 2020.

In the Philippines, a bill was proposed in 2023 to create an AI authority to oversee AI development and prevent crimes using AI.

Spain approved an AI research strategy in 2018.

Switzerland plans to adopt the Council of Europe’s AI treaty by February 2025 and will prepare laws by the end of 2026.

The United Kingdom released a plan for AI rules in March 2023, focusing on safety and innovation. In November 2023, the UK hosted a summit on AI safety and created an AI Safety Institute.

The United States has had discussions on AI rules, including an executive order in October 2023 on AI safety. In December 2025, President Trump signed an order to create a national approach to AI policy.

South Africa published a national AI policy in April 2026, but it was withdrawn after it was found to include fake references.

Regulation of fully autonomous weapons

Main article: Lethal autonomous weapon

Countries have been talking about rules for weapons that can act on their own since 2014. These talks are part of efforts to make sure such weapons follow laws meant to protect people during conflicts. In 2018, experts agreed on some basic ideas about these weapons.

In 2016, China was the first big country to say that current laws might not be enough to handle these kinds of weapons. Some groups, like the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, have asked for a worldwide stop to making and using these weapons. The United States thinks existing laws are enough to control them and says it does not currently have such weapons.